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Key Insights:

• The demand for healthcare professionals is increasing, as is the need for medical secretary and administrative assistant roles such as medical biller and coder.

• Medical billers and coders may find employment in physicians鈥� offices, hospitals, and insurance companies. Researching opportunities in your geographical area can provide greater insight into local medical biller and coder demand.

• Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) offers two options for preparing yourself to pursue a medical billing and coding role. Students at UMA also gain access to dedicated team members who are committed to helping them achieve academic success.

Every year from 2024 to 2034, the U.S. job market is projected to see around 19 million openings, on average, for all occupations.¹ Approximately 1.9 million of them (or 10%) are anticipated to be in healthcare.²

If you鈥檙e considering a medical billing and coding career path, the question you may have is the number of jobs expected for this specific healthcare role. More specifically, is medical billing and coding in demand? Here鈥檚 what we know.

Medical Billing and Coding Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides 10-year employment projections for over 800 detailed occupations.¹ Unfortunately, the role of medical biller and coder isn鈥檛 one of them. Instead, these healthcare positions fall under the category of 鈥渕edical secretaries and administrative assistants.鈥�

According to the BLS, is projected to increase 4% between 2024 and 2034.³ This equates to roughly 35,300 openings during that time.

Two drivers behind the projected demand for healthcare professionals like medical billers and coders in the years ahead are an aging population and a growing prevalence of chronic health conditions.⁴ As more people are anticipated to need medical care, more medical coders and billers would also be needed to help healthcare organizations process a growing number of claims.

What Is Medical Billing & Coding?

The term 鈥渕edical coding and billing鈥� encompasses two functions within the healthcare reimbursement process:

• Medical coding is the transformation of healthcare diagnoses, procedures, medical services, and equipment into universal medical alphanumeric codes. A medical coder reviews a healthcare provider's dictated or written statements and assigns the appropriate codes for that information within the patient鈥檚 file.
• Medical billing involves submitting claim forms with these codes to the patient鈥檚 health insurance provider for reimbursement and invoicing the patient or other responsible party for their portion of the expenses. Medical billers may also handle patients鈥� questions about payment, in addition to dealing with claims denials.

Healthcare organizations sometimes hire one person to perform both functions: a medical biller and coder. They may also choose to keep medical billers and medical coders as separate roles, enabling each to specialize in their specific tasks.

Learn more with our short video about medical billing and coding.

Where Can I Find Medical Billing and Coding Opportunities?

A variety of healthcare organizations employ medical billing and coding professionals, including:

• Physicians鈥� offices
• Hospitals
• Insurance companies

You can also search for 鈥渕edical billing and coding jobs near me鈥� to learn more about the opportunities in your area. Based on the results, are more healthcare institutions in your region hiring one person to perform both functions, or are they separating these roles?

Looking at local openings can also give you greater insight into the medical biller and/or medical coder demand in the area in which you plan to work.

Preparing for Entry-Level Medical Billing and Coding Roles

While secretaries and administrative assistants in other fields often need only a high school diploma and on-the-job training for entry-level positions, individuals who want to work in the healthcare field may require additional training to learn industry terminology.⁵

Some employers also require or prefer candidates with certification. For example, the AAPC offers a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) credential, which assesses applicants鈥� knowledge and skills with regard to standardized coding systems, coding guidelines and regulations, payment reimbursement, and more.⁶

Related: 10 Steps to a Medical Billing and Coding Career

Ready to Pursue Schooling for Medical Billing and Coding?

Now that you know more about the future of medical billing and coding, you may be thinking about taking the next step and training to pursue a career in this healthcare role. If so, Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) offers two programs, each designed to provide the knowledge and skills needed for entry-level positions:

• Medical Billing and Coding Diploma program
• Medical Billing and Coding Associate of Science / Associate of Applied Science Degree Program

Both programs include courses in important topics, such as medical terminology, diagnostic and procedural coding, claims processing, and medical records management. They also both include preparation to sit for the CPC certification exam, if eligible.⁷

Why UMA?

When you pursue your healthcare education at UMA, in addition to gaining access to online medical billing and coding courses, you also receive academic support from our caring and compassionate team members.

Going back to school as an adult learner isn鈥檛 always easy. Many of our students have families to look after, jobs to report to, and other obligations that require their effort and time. At UMA, we understand that. That鈥檚 why we offer a variety of Student Services, each designed to address different academic and career-related needs.

If you have questions about our programs, would like to learn more about specific courses, or simply want to talk about your healthcare career goals, contact us. We鈥檙e here to assist you in any way we can.

FAQs

• Are medical coders in demand? Not only is healthcare and social assistance the fastest growing industry sector, but there is also expected to be a greater need for healthcare professionals, including medical coders, between 2024 and 2034 due to an aging population and a greater prevalence of chronic diseases.⁴ Jobs in this specific field are projected to increase 4% during this time, resulting in roughly 35,300 openings.³
• Is medical billing a good career? The answer to this question can vary from one person to the next, but you may enjoy a medical billing career if you like the idea of working in healthcare but aren鈥檛 interested in a patient-facing role. This position also requires a lot of computer work, so interest in and/or basic proficiency with computers can also be helpful.

Where national data regarding earnings or employability within a particular field are cited, individual readers should take note that national averages may not accurately reflect the earnings of workers in their particular part of the country and may include earners at all stages of their career, not just entry-level wages for recent graduates.